The 7 Best Deals at Costco (According to Costco Employees)

For many of us, Costco is a cornerstone of our shopping. Sometimes, we might feel a little silly, like when we get home and realize we bought a 5 pound bag of chocolate-covered pretzels and only one of us in the house even likes them! But the fact is that Costco’s a great place to score a big deal, if you’re down with buying in bulk.

To get the real secrets on the very best deals, you’ve got to go straight to the source: Costco employees. It turns out that many of them are more than happy to spill the beans on insider secrets. Here are seven of the greatest finds at Costco:

$4.99 Rotisserie Chickens

These are famous — it’s hard to find a better deal on a rotisserie chicken anywhere. Plus, the chickens are genuinely tasty. It’s so easy to grab one, add a couple of sides, and presto: dinner’s ready. Supposedly, the store keeps the prices super low as a way to draw customers in, and actually loses money on the chickens.

Pork Loins

Again, who else can even come close to Costco’s prices on these? They’re sold in two-packs, and each pack has two loins — so you get 4 huge ones for a really reasonable price. Do what I do: cook one at a time, and stash the rest in the freezer for later.

10-Pound Packs of Ground Beef

OK, so clearly the meat section is one of the best places to score a deal at Costco. This one’s definitely an insider secret, however. You can actually get 10-lb. tubes of ground beef (called “chubs”) for a great price, but you won’t see them on the counter. Instead, you’ll have to ask a butcher for one. Repackage the chub in smaller portions when you get home, and you’re set.

Steaks

Even at Costco, steaks will be among the priciest meat items. Since the store sells them in large packs, however, the price-per-steak can mean significant savings. I’ve snapped up fantastic deals on strip steaks, ribeyes, and more.

Frozen Normandy Vegetables

Before you start thinking that deals at Costco are all about meat, check out this one. The Normandy vegetable blend contains broccoli and cauliflower florets, baby carrots, and sliced yellow carrots. They’re sold in a 5.5-lb. bag that’s a better deal than buying the vegetables separately. I’ve got one in my freezer now!

Hot Sauce

This item’s a little unexpected, but Costco employees (and customers) agree that it’s one of the best deals you can find in the store. Brands will vary based on location, but you can almost always find one you’ll like.

Anything Kirkland Signature

Kirkland is Costco’s house brand. Typically, the products are made by other companies, and Kirkland slaps their label on them. That means you can find super-high quality products — everything from olive oil to peanut butter to chicken tenders — at insanely good prices.

If the everyday prices on products like these weren’t enough, you can even sweeter deals by looking for instant rebates and other promotions. One user on Reddit, for instance, claimed to get a pack of pork loins for just 86 cents! Do you have any killer Costco deals to share?